2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal: Insider hints at possible trial date announcement for five players charged

On Tuesday, NHL insider Rick Westhead shed light on the latest developments surrounding the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal on X (formerly Twitter). Five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team were charged with sexual assault.

Rick Westhead tweeted that the legal proceedings for the accused are set to resume in a London, Ont., court. The post hinted at the possibility of a crucial announcement regarding the trial date for the accused players.

Rick Westhead tweeted an update regarding the lawyers representing the accused: Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton.

"Lawyers for the five former 2018 World Juniors hockey players charged with sexual assault are scheduled to appear virtually in a London court this morning. It’s possible a date for the players’ judge and jury trial will be set today," Westhead tweeted.

The allegations stem from an incident at a London hotel in 2018. Michael McLeod, in particular, faces an additional charge of sexual assault for allegedly being party to the offense. All five players have opted to defend themselves against the charges and have chosen to proceed with a jury trial.

Initially, London police closed their investigation in 2019, only to reopen it in 2022. The reasons behind both the closure and subsequent reopening remain undisclosed by authorities.

Was Hockey Canada negligent in alleged sexual assault case involving CHL players?

In April 2022, a woman filed a lawsuit against Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and eight unnamed CHL players. She alleged she was the victim of the sexual assault that transpired in a London hotel room in June 2018. The incident, according to the lawsuit, unfolded following the conclusion of the 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

The lawsuit recounts how the victim encountered one of the players, referred to as John Doe 1, at a bar. Reportedly, John Doe 1 provided her with alcohol, after which they proceeded to a hotel room. It's there, the suit alleges, that sexual acts took place between them. John Doe 1 then purportedly invited the seven others into the room without her consent, leading to further assaults.

Per the lawsuit, the victim claims she was too intoxicated to provide consent. Despite several attempts, she alleges the group prevented her from leaving.

Further, the victim contends that the organization was aware of the situation but took no action to prevent or address the alleged assaults. Hockey Canada, however, has countered these allegations. It stated that it reported the accusations to the police and initiated an independent investigation by Henein Hutchison LLP.